Academy trust handbook - Guidance - GOV.UK

SUMMARY Also known as the Academies financial handbook. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) closed on 31 March 2025. All activity has moved to the Department for Education (DfE).

You should continue to follow this guidance. Academy trusts MUST comply with this handbook as a condition of their funding agreement. It provides an overarching framework for implementation

of effective financial management and other controls, consistent with your obligations as publicly funded bodies. Other resources are available to help you get the right systems in place. In

addition, managing your resources will support best value and promotes public accountability. FEEDBACK To provide feedback about the handbook please complete the feedback form. You can

contact ESFA for guidance using the Customer help portal. CONTENTS * Foreword by the Minister for School Standards A foreword from Catherine McKinnell, Minister for School Standards. * Who

should read this handbook Find out if this handbook applies to you. * What has changed in this edition? What has been changed in the handbook for 2024. * Part 1: Roles and responsibilities

The duties of key people responsible for running academy trusts. * Part 2: Main financial requirements The financial management requirements for academy trusts. * Part 3: Internal scrutiny

The need for academy trusts to conduct checks to ensure systems are effective and compliant. * Part 4: Annual accounts and external audit How academy trusts must report on their finances to

give assurance to Parliament and the public about the use of resources. * Part 5: Delegated authorities The financial freedoms and limits applying to academy trusts. * Part 6: The regulator

and intervention How DfE and ESFA oversees academy trusts and may intervene where concerns arise. * Part 7: Definitions Help with terms used in this handbook. * Part 8: Further reading Links

to more information and guidance. * Acknowledgements The Academy trust handbook has been produced jointly by ESFA and the following working group of academy sector representatives: *

Schedule of Musts The requirements in the handbook brought together into one list. * Academy trust handbook 2024 to print Governance professionals (clerks to the board of trustees) may wish

to print a PDF version of the Academy trust handbook 2024 for their induction pack for new trustees. * Academy trust handbook 2023 to print This is the print version of the Academy trust

handbook 2023. Print this page